By Cameron Lee
June 17, 2025
New wave legends DEVO and the B-52s are teaming up for an 11-date co-headlining tour, billed as a “continuing concert farewell” for both bands. The tour will stop in Charlotte on October 24 at PNC Music Pavilion, with special guest Lene Lovich — British new wave artist best known for her 1979 hit “Lucky Number.”
The idea for the tour was sparked earlier this year when both bands performed at Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary Homecoming Concert, according to B-52s vocalist Cindy Wilson.
“When both of our bands performed at the recent SNL 50 concert at Radio City, we started talking and agreed we had to do these shows,” Wilson communicated in the official press release. “Believe or not, we’ve never done more than a festival or two together in all this time.”
Pioneers of the late ’70s and early ’80s new wave and post-punk movements, DEVO and the B-52s shaped an era with their eccentric, genre-bending sound and avant-garde aesthetics. DEVO was formed by art students at Kent State University, blending punk energy with surrealist performance art and social commentary. Meanwhile, The B-52s emerged from Athens, Georgia’s underground art scene, known for their kitschy, party-ready sound and offbeat flair.
Both groups were instrumental in the early days of MTV: DEVO’s “Whip It” became a staple of the network’s rotation, while the B-52s achieved massive mainstream success in the late ’80s and early ’90s with hits like “Love Shack” and “Roam.” DEVO founding member Gerald Casale, who directed many of the band’s distinctive music videos, also worked with artists such as Rush, Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, and Silverchair.
DEVO frontman Mark Mothersbaugh has enjoyed a successful career in film and television scoring. His whimsical, emotionally resonant style helped define the sound of Nickelodeon’s Rugrats (1991-2004) and several Wes Anderson films, including Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. He also contributed to the iconic ’80s television show, Pee-wee’s Playhouse.
The B-52s recently concluded the second leg of their Las Vegas residency, and DEVO is set to premiere a new Netflix original documentary this August.
Presale access for Citi cardmembers is available now, with tickets going on sale to the general public on Friday, June 20 at 10 a.m.
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